What’s your worst experience with an Android phone

[nickdalzell1]

You bought iPhone too late. Back in the 3GS days or the 4, iOS was leaps ahead of Android. Today, it's kinda a bloated, bug ridden mess that's still stuck in the iOS 7 look. Android hasn't improved on that regard, either, even going to such lengths to copy iOS in so many ways you'd be easily confused as to which is iOS and Android if you're browsing phones.

There are still benefits that keep me on Android however:

1. control over updates, can turn them off, so not even a pop-up telling me about one. Can't disable that pop-up nag on iOS at all anymore.

2. Can run older apps still using skeuomorphic UI design from 2009-12. I can run any version of the Kindle, web browser app, file manager app, etc that I want no matter how new or old the Android version is. iOS must always use the latest version. Even if you get lucky and sideload an IPA file via iTunes, you're going to get a pop-up saying to update to the latest version to continue using it. Even though that's not exactly true--Apple just imposes that on any app they let you use. Eventually, your phone is no longer supported for new versions of apps, and that's fine, but eventually the apps refuse to run at all, forcing you into a never-ending consumer cycle of buying a new phone over and over again, just to keep using Pandora or the Calculator. That's stupid and not good for the planet.

3. More control of the device, aka not idiot proofed the way iOS has become. Mass storage support, no iTunes needed. Can root if need be and remove any 'system' app I prefer. I can't remove the App store from an iPhone, even if I never use it. I can, however, delete the Google Play Store and sideload apps.

 

[Barbareren]

You bought iPhone too late. Back in the 3GS days or the 4, iOS was leaps ahead of Android.

Symbian OS was leaps ahead of iOS at that time. iOS has always been too limited/closed for my liking, up until the last 4-5 years or so. Now there’s practically nothing I wish I could do on an iPhone that I can’t do. But back in the day it annoyed me to no end that I couldn’t even send a simple file over Bluetooth, or download a file from the internet, or communicate with a computer without using crappy iTunes, or even copy-paste etc. etc.

 

[jaytv111]

I had a Galaxy S6 for about a year. It had 2 power saving modes, regular power saving and ultra power saving (that one limited the apps you could run and the screen was black and white only). I had to use regular power saving if I wanted to get through an 8 hour day, and ultra power saving to get through a full day. Without power saving it would last 4 hours. I could watch the battery percent drop in real time in regular mode, or I would keep it charging all the time. I switched to the Nexus 6P and I got much better battery life and I could use it normally. Then I switched to iPhone X and stayed on the iPhone because it feels like Apple has a better handle on getting technology developed without having a bad experience, for instance I couldn’t use Android Pay with my bank’s debit card, they had their own NFC app for years, but they supported Apple Pay. A more modern example is how Android Auto was at first more rare than Apple Carplay in cars, but they are fairly even now. It’s those little things that bothered me. I remember I had a Nexus that got the newest Android OS versions first then apps had to be updated to take advantage of new features in the OS and that would take months or years because almost no one had the newest Android version.

 

[nickdalzell1]

Ultra Power Saving Mode released with the Galaxy S5. It's been a standard feature of most flagships ever since, and even some mid-rangers. Although since I had an Exynos Verizon-based S6, that phone barely got 3 hours STANDBY. It ran super hot, refused to charge wirelessly at times due to 'temperature'. It either got 3 hours screen time OR 3 hours standby. Never both. AT&T variants and GSM models seemed immune to the same bug, something to do with cell standby.

I had to return the S6. Nice looking phone and all, but all Ultra mode did was get 6 vs 3 hours. Still ran quite hot, and I had to make it through a 9 hour workday and it was a dealbreaker.

I can't use any payment app aside Walmart or Kroger Pay. I can add my card (AMEX Serve) to Apple, Samsung or Google pay, but any attempt to use it declines, and I get an email about a possible fraud attempt. I can click the 'approve this purchase' link in the email and it works once, but this problem repeats itself. It got so inconvenient to use Android/Apple/Google Pay that I relented to use Walmart and Kroger since it works fine. I was tired of holding up the line with the cashier staring at me like some deadbeat while I scanned for that email, clicked the link, and tried to purchase again. Most cashiers when they see a big, red DECLINED they assume you're broke.

 

[Jhon Micheal]

I just hate when Android Lags to much.

 

[elbert]

Google Nexus 6P in less than 12 months

• OLED burn-in
• Boot loop
• Bad battery

Essential PH-1

• Bad battery
• Broken display glass
• Company became bankrupt within 52 weeks

Wish I never bought and Android... waste of money. Just keep to one phone, an iPhone

 

[nickdalzell1]

Android still cannot scroll as iOS does. That part always gets to me. Not enough to go back to a 6S (and I don't want to spend tons more on a 12 or 13 Pro just to have wireless charging and future-proofing) but it annoys me. I sorta have solved it by using an iOS launcher which prioritises the CPU/GPU and has some apps that are made by the same dev which have similar benefits, and the Samsung Internet browser works on non-Samsung devices and also has smooth scrolling. It's not exactly like iOS but at least it's not nearly as stuttery.

 

[Wando64]

Personally, I think the iPhone (and iOS) has improved a lot since the earlier iterations.

Edit: I’m also not a big fan of iPads. I honestly don’t understand why anyone would get an iPad Pro 2021 over an M1 MacBook Air…

Arguably the gap between iPhone/iOS and Android phones was much bigger in the earlier iterations than it is now.
I remember my first 3GS being on a different planet in comparison with the other offerings of the time. That difference in functionality and performance has been getting smaller and smaller with time.

As for iPads, why would anyone get a MBA if they want a lightweight touch interface device, especially (but not exclusively) if they make use of the pencil? Different horses for different courses.
For example, try to put an MBA on a music stand for music score reading.

 

[elbert]

Edit: I’m also not a big fan of iPads. I honestly don’t understand why anyone would get an iPad Pro 2021 over an M1 MacBook Air…

Cheaper? Form factor? 2021 iPad Pro has the M1 because it fits into the power draw requirement and its cheaper to reuse the Mac chip than custom make a iPad Pro chip from an iPhone chip.

If the power consumption improved with the M1 over A12Z then great. If the same then good. When its worse... then Apple was greedy.

 

[SigEp265]

I love android except for text messaging.

 

[cuzo]

Pink screen on s8.

 

[mrex]

Edit: I’m also not a big fan of iPads. I honestly don’t understand why anyone would get an iPad Pro 2021 over an M1 MacBook Air…

I would like to see you drawing or handwriting with macbook air.

I like ipad pro alot - just because of a pen.

Never really had any problem with androids, always bought a ”flagship” model or used google nexus. Well, once with the oneplus (the first oneplus which you got with an invite only) - the screen issue…

But i have been using android, almost, from the beginning and i have been happy, or lucky, with them. I have always customized them with launchers and other apps…

 

[nickdalzell1]

You don't need an iPad Pro to use the Pen (Apple Pencil). Most regular iPads support it.

 

[M5RahuL]

Symbian OS was leaps ahead of iOS at that time. iOS has always been too limited/closed for my liking, up until the last 4-5 years or so. Now there’s practically nothing I wish I could do on an iPhone that I can’t do. But back in the day it annoyed me to no end that I couldn’t even send a simple file over Bluetooth, or download a file from the internet, or communicate with a computer without using crappy iTunes, or even copy-paste etc. etc.

Symbian was awesome!! Truly miss my Nokia N95 and E71 !!

 

[nickdalzell1]

WebOS was awesome too but sadly I missed out. Judging from Screenshots though it looked awesome

 

[ackmondual]

I've had several, but FWIW, I've been using them for a decade+ now...

LG G4
The rear camera eventually got blurry. Cleaned the lens, tried a different camera app, but still didn't work. Seemed to be a hardware issue. Bought another LG G4 and in due time, same issue. The phones were used, made 4 to 5 years ago, and only costed $100 to $200 each. If it weren't for the camera, I would've gladly kept on using them.

Google Pixel 4A
These are minor though...
--You can't edit a countdown timer. If you want to change the duration, you'll need to delete that and make a new one
--Screen size is too narrow. I assumed the overall size being bigger would cover this, but not always. Next phone, I'm going to make sure this spec is up to spec
--Apps drawer doesn't let you create folders within nor resort them (alphabetical is the only choice)